Peter Responds, Part 3Acts 2:22-24. “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know –“this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.“God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” Dear Saints, For Peter and the other apostles, Pentecost was much more than an event. Having explained to his hearers the meaning of what they had observed, he immediately turned his attention to the purpose of Pentecost, which is centered around Jesus and his death. Attested (v.…

Peter Responds, Part 2Acts 2:19-21. “And I will show wonders in the heavens aboveand signs on the earth below,blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:the sun shall be turned to darknessand the moon to blood,before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.And it shall come to pass that everyonewho calls on the name of the Lordshall be saved.” Dear Friends of God, Even though some of the prophecies of Joel related to events other than that day, Peter quoted the whole section. This was indicative of the fact that the countdown to the Day of the Lord had begun, a phrase that refers to the end times, beginning at Pentecost. Signs (v. 19).There will be cataclysmic signs both in heaven and on earth. The mention of…

Peter Responds, Part 1Acts 2:14-18. But Peter standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.“For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.“But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,and your sons and daughters shall prophesy,and your young men shall see visions,and your old men shall dream dreams;even on my male servants and female servantsin those days I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy. “‘ Dear People Who Belong to God, The Pentecost…

Babel ReversedActs 2:5-13. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.And at this sound, the multitude came together, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?“And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?“Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,“Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,“both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians – we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”But others…

PentecostActs 2:1-4. When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.And they were all with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Dear Holy Nation, The most momentous occasion in the history of the church happened somewhat unexpectedly. The disciples were waiting, but they did not even know the nature of the event they were expecting, nor did they know when it would take place. Gathered (v. 1).It was the custom of the disciples to meet. As we saw earlier,…

Replacing JudasActs 1:21-26. “So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,“beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us – one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.And they prayed and said, “You Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen“to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Dear Children…

The Fate of JudasActs 1:15-20. In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,“Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.“For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.“For it is written in the book of Psalms,“‘May his camp become desolate,and let…

WaitingActs 1:12-14. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Dear Citizens of Heaven, After the shock of the ascension, the disciples remembered the final instructions of Jesus that they were to remain for a while in Jerusalem. Return (v. 12).They made their way back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. It is…

AscensionActs 1:9-11. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,And said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Dear Servants of the Most High, The disciples did not expect any change at this point. They still harbored hopes of an immediate earthly kingdom. Departure (v. 9).Unexpectedly and much to the dismay of the disciples, Jesus was taken up from them into heaven. This was most probably in order that…

WitnessesActs 1:6-8.So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons the Father has fixed by his own authority.“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and To the end of the earth. Dear Pilgrims and Sojourners, The resurrection had renewed the hopes of the disciples in the role of Jesus as Messiah. Excitement (v. 6).The disciples had not understood that the kingdom needed to be established in the hearts of the people. They assumed that Jesus would use his power which had been demonstrated in the resurrection to…